Practical Uses for Smartphone Components in a Survival Situation
Smartphones are only good if they work, have power and can receive a signal. If you’re ever in a situation when your phone goes kaput, don’t throw it away. There are a lot of uses that you can get from of the components of a dead phone, and the following examples are just a few to consider.
Breaking Down the Components
Let’s take a look at the different components that can be useful in the field. These include the speaker, LCD screen, metal frame, circuit board, wiring and battery. You can probably also find a way to put the plastic cover to good use with a little bit of ingenuity as well. The trick is going to be able to disassemble these components as they are either glued or screwed together with tiny screws. It’s a good idea to keep an eyeglass repair kit in your bug out bag or survival kit. This will give you access to a small screwdriver for this and other projects that you may run into out in the field.
Battery and Wire
The most important use for the battery and wire is to create a fire starter, and it can work even if the battery is almost drained of power. All you need to do is take one end of the wire and press it against one of the positive terminals and place the other end against the negative. However, it’s important to note that the wire will get very hot, very quickly. If you are using a wire from the dismantled phone, it will most-likely disintegrate within a few seconds. Consequently, you want to make sure that the wire is next to your tinder when you use this method because you don’t have a lot of time to position things once the leads are attached. However, this remains is fast and effective way to start a fire.
Signal Mirror
The LED screen has multiple layers of material that produce a reflection when angled toward the sun. To use this screen as a signal mirror, all you need to do is hold it horizontally in one hand while you make the peace sign with your first and middle finger in your other hand. Hold the mirror just below your nose, with your arms extended. Place your peace sign in front of the mirror until the light reflects on your fingers. Position your fingers so that the rescue plane or other vehicle is centered in the space between. Make adjustments, but this is sure-fire way to know that the reflection from the mirror is pointing toward the rescuers.
Compass
To make a compass from the speaker, the first step is to detach the magnet and wire. You can also use a pin as an alternative. Run one of the wire over the magnet in the same direction a few times before placing it atop a leaf or any material that can float.
Put the leaf and wire over water in a bowl or puddle and the leaf and wire will orient itself to the north. This rudimentary compass will give you a general idea of your position and help you choose the right path out of the area.
Making a Cutting Tool
Take your circuit board and run it along the surface of a smooth, flat rock in order to create a sharp edge. Try to keep the board at a 45 degree angle with respect to the rock while honing the edge. Use enough pressure to wear down the material, but not too much that the board cracks. Once you’ve sharpened one edge, you can flip the circuit board over and repeat for the other side if you prefer as well. You can also create a sharp tool by breaking the metal frame in half by bending it around the rock. Once you make the crease, simply rock it back and forth until it breaks off. Scrape the edge against the rock to file down any remaining shards and make the edge as uniform and sharp as possible.
These are just a few of a long list of possibilities that you can take advantage of by using the components of your broken smartphone. Do some experimentation and find ways to improve on these tricks while also coming up with some ideas of your own. You never know when these tricks will come in handy in the field while helping you to conserve resources at the same time.
